CHENNAI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday remotely inaugurated the Indian Coast Guard’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and Regional Marine Pollution Response Centre (RMPRC) in Chennai, as well as a Coast Guard Air Enclave in Puducherry.
The new MRCC near Napier Bridge in Chennai, constructed at a cost of Rs 26.10 crore, will enhance coordination for the rescue of mariners and fishermen in distress at sea. Serving as the nerve centre for all maritime rescue operations along the east coast of India and beyond, the MRCC is equipped with the latest distress monitoring systems, including terrestrial and satellite technologies, and advanced communication systems, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defence.
The RMPRC, situated within the Chennai Port premises, is the first facility of its kind dedicated to coordinating responses to marine pollution, particularly oil and chemical spills, in waters adjoining the coastal states of the Indian Ocean Region.
The Coast Guard Air Enclave in Puducherry will play a crucial role in enhancing maritime security along the Puducherry and South Tamil Nadu coast. It will be equipped with Chetak and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) squadrons, both of which are indigenously built and capable of conducting maritime patrol, search-and-rescue, and other missions from both land and Coast Guard ships patrolling at sea, the release added.